US envoys hold 'important' talks in first trip to Kyiv

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner made their first trip to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin the previous day.

The two U.S. envoys discussed efforts to end the war with Russia. Witkoff said the conversation had been “very meaningful, substantive, important,” adding that they were “very encouraged” and prepared to continue for as long as necessary.

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We've had a very meaningful discussion, substantive, important, and we are very encouraged, and we look forward to continuing this as long as it takes.

Kushner also struck a hopeful but cautious tone after the meeting. “Hopefully this trip has come out with some new ways to advance forward,” he said. “I think we’ve learned a lot from the trip.” Neither envoy pointed to a breakthrough.

The visit marked a notable change in the envoys’ recent travel. Witkoff, a business ally of President Donald Trump, and Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, have travelled to Moscow several times but had not previously held talks in Kyiv, a city hit by deadly Russian strikes for more than four years. They travelled to the region hoping to revive Trump’s efforts to advance an end to the war.

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Hopefully this trip has come out with some new ways to advance forward. I think we've learned a lot from the trip.